A bizarre incident in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district has triggered a political storm. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) reportedly issued a ticket for a pressure cooker as luggage during a bus journey from Mandi to Aut, providing the opposition BJP fresh ammunition to attack the ruling Congress government.
The controversy unfolded when a passenger carrying a 3-litre pressure cooker was charged Rs 23 for a luggage ticket. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, saw the pressure cooker being classified as luggage for a 42-km trip. A copy of the ticket has since gone viral, fuelling criticism from the BJP.
Ex-CM Jai Ram Thakur’s sharp criticism
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur seized the opportunity to target the Congress government during a protest rally at Mandi’s Seri Manch. Addressing the crowd, Thakur remarked, “A pressure cooker being carried from Mandi to Aut was issued a ticket by the HRTC. Despite government denials, we now have evidence of this shameful act.” The remark prompted laughter among the audience.
Thakur also shared the ticket on his social media, calling it an emblem of mismanagement. He wrote, “After taxing wedding albums, elders’ medicines, children’s school bags and toys, the Sukhu government is now charging fares for pressure cookers. What could be more humiliating? Instead of providing relief like the BJP did by giving a 50% discount to women in buses, the Congress government is focused on burdening the common man.”
‘Toilet tax’ up for discussion again
The controversy also revived discussions around the infamous “toilet tax”. Thakur accused the Sukhu government of imposing levies on essentials like electricity, water and ration. He ridiculed the administration, saying, “When even that wasn’t enough, they started counting toilets to impose a Rs 25 tax per unit. The nationwide backlash forced Congress leaders to reprimand the Chief Minister, leading to a halt on this ridiculous proposal.”
